Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) is lining up an exciting list of national and local artists for the PEople’s Port Festival taking place at the Port Elizabeth harbour on 1 and 2 December 2018 under the theme ‘Centenary of Madiba’.
The event promises a wide range of family-friendly port experiences and the main stage entertainment is always a big highlight. What’s more, festivalgoers will get to enjoy all the live perfomances for free.
On Saturday 1 December hit-making record producer and DJ, Heavy-K, takes centre stage, along with R&B and house singer Bucie. They are among a sensational line-up of local and national artists who will perform throughout the weekend.
Originally from The Friendly City, Heavy-K has just released a new album – Respect The Drumboss 2018 – packed with 15 summer anthems guaranteed to keep South Africans moving. Fresh from his hit ‘iNDE’ featuring Bucie, he released another popular track entitled ‘Siphum’ eLokshini’, featuring Mondli Ngcobo. He said the song was inspired by his own true-life events and was a reminder that you can still chase your dreams despite where you come from.
Heavy-K has been open about growing up poor in Nelson Mandela Bay. He was born and bred in Veeplaas and attended Mzimhlophe Public Primary School, Emfundweni Primary School and later Ndzondelelo Secondary School. Today he owns his own record company, called Drumboss Musik, and has entrenched himself as one of the kings of the house music genre.
Meanwhile, Bucie became well-known for her first hit single ‘Ngicel’ Indonda.’ She featured on the Black Coffee hit ‘Superman’ in 2010 and her 2014 single “Easy To Love” peaked at number 9 on South Africa’s official music chart. She also collaborated with Heavy K on the chart-topping single ‘Easy to Love’. Her latest album, Rebirth, is said to be her last as she says she has grown tired of fame and wants to take time off to spend with her family. This means the PEople’s Port Festival 2018 could perhaps be one of the last opportunities for locals to see this popular songstress live on stage.
The two-day festival will offer the Nelson Mandela Bay community the rare chance to see the inner-workings of the Port of Port Elizabeth through a range of fun, educational landside and waterside activities. TNPA’s port festivals offer a wide range of port experiences that delight families while delivering on the port landlord’s important underlying strategic focus of raising awareness of the ports, including the career and business opportunities they represent.
Highlights at the PEople’s Port Festival will include ship and port bus tours, the Bayworld experiential area, Bocadillo’s pop up restaurant plus many food trucks and vendors, live entertainment by national and local artists, a spectacular laser show, shark displays and so much more.
Gates open at 10am to 10pm on Saturday 1 December and 10am – 4pm on Sunday 2 December.
Festival entry and most of the activities are free, with only a few requiring a nominal ticket purchase directly from these vendors. The festival area will be a pedestrian only zone and shuttles will be available from the designated parking areas entered via Campanile or Green Street.
Alan Straton
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